Top Performing Students Awarded

Matlosana”Klerksdorp: Government officials, Business, Parents, and Students gathered at the Klerksdorp Recreation Centre on Thursday the 11th of January at a prestigious award ceremony to award and recognise the best performing schools and the best performing students around the city.

Thabo Pelesane lit a candle and thanked the municipality with their continued support for education in Matlosana, his foundation is also a role player in giving away bursaries to needy students in the city. One of the many roles the foundation is playing is give away sanitary pads to girls in order to keep them in school.

In what seems to have been a tough year in the education department of Matlosana, The class of 2017 did not perform as well as the previous years, Thats according Mr Simon Mogotsi of the Department of education in subdistrict of Matlosana. The class of 2017 has obtained 75.06% pass rate which is a drop of 5.57% when comparing to 2016’s 80% mark.

According to Mr Mogotsi the reason for the drop is as a result of amongst others the recruitment strategy for principals. Two schools with newly appointed principals each dropped with 42%. 13 schools in Matlosana are below the 70% pass rate with the highest performing school obtaining 68.75% and the lowest 35%.

The department says despite the poor results in terms of quantity the results of 2017 have quality. Matlosana was able to have 24 learners in the Top 100 in the province and 67 in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality. “Our schools obtained positions 2, and 3, in the North West Province and 2,3,4,5,6,7 and 10 in the District.

Schoonspruit High School, Westvallia High School, Al Huda Muslim School, Overvaal, and Klerksdorp High School. Al Huda Muslim School is the best School in the Province in the list of Schools where 50% or more qualify for Degrees Studies, with a 100% of their learners obtaining Bachelors in the 2017 results. Wesvalia comes at number 6 with 81.82% out of 110 learners abtaining bachelors.

One of the people who is passionate education is Mr Sello Hatang from Khuma, he is the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. He gave a powerful speech on education. In his speech he used his journey of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro as an example of however hard it maybe one must never give up, Alluding to the fact that it is not going to be easy in University. Hatang said! “To make sure that you a great citizen you must make sure you fly the South African flag high no matter where you are” he urged parents to be supportive to their children and allow them space to be kids and enjoy the varsity life and to never be scared of making mistakes.

Mr Simeon Mighty Moloko Senior Vice President Sustainability of Anglo Gold Ashanti. Reiterated their unwavering support for education in Matlosana and Merafong, the mining company is the biggest partner of the city’s sponsorship interms of education. “From Anglo Gold Ashanti we have taken a view that says a minimum of 0.5% must go into education and training our payroll for the last 5 or 6 years has been R450 Million and 0.5% of that has given us R45 Million annually to poor back just in education and training in our community“

The Mayor of Matlosana Municipality The Honourable Maetu Kgaile, as a mother the mayor stood proud and happy for the performance of students, she appealed to the education of our students, and spoke of plans that have been put in place for education in the city. One such plan is the Mayoral Golf Day which brought the business community to rally behind the support of education in the city. Another exciting plan is the re-opening of the Vaal Triangle University in Matlosana which is in progress currently. However the mayor expressed her concern at the drop of the performance of schools in Matlosana.

Different Schools received awards for their sterling performance in the 2017 Matric results. Are-Fadimeheng, Tsa Mma, and Cocekani from Jouberton , Borakanelo in Khuma, Thuto tsebo in Kanana, and Gaethone in Tigane are recipients of awards for performance and improvement.

But the highlight of the day went to Nadia Olivier from Wesvalia High School and Mwezi Koni from Are-Fadimeheng who won bursaries worth R90 000 for the period of study to institutions of their choice.

The City Of Matlosana and all its stakeholders will implement a plan to ensure the results of the 2018 class improve in performance.

That the following top 10 learners in the Province (Focus in Matlosana) receive R20 000.00 bursary each.

NAME AND SURNAME SCHOOL

Nadia Olivier Klerksdorp High School

Janie Van Wyk Klerksdorp High School

Mwezi Koni Are-Fadimeheng

Atlerang Makokoe Milner High School

Liezel Gouws Wesvalia High School

Reinhardt Johannes Hitge Wesvalia high School

Nkululeko Kumanda Technical High School

Shirie Van Rooyen Wesvalia High School

Mala Wilkiens Klerksdorp High School

Melissa Evert Schoonspruit High

TOTAL : R200 000.00

That the following 10 best learners in their area receive R15 000.00 bursary each.

NAME AND SURNAME SCHOOL

Fourie Jolene Orkney High School

Homole Gaalaolwe Thuto Tsebo Secondary

Mkalapi Avumile Vaal Reefs Technical High School

Mahlong Kamogelo Pinnacle High School

Mkwanazi Samson Tshepo Borakanelo Secondary School

Raubenheirmer Lize Wesvalia High School

Moabi Vusimzi Tsamma Secondary

Saleh Zahraa Al-HUDA Muslim

Gangat Zayd Alabama Secondary School

Seleke Maserame Gaenthone Secondary School

TOTAL : R150 000.00

That the following2 best learners from farm schools receive R15 000.00 bursary each.